Kingstanding - The Pigsty

Up on top of the Forest at Kingstanding there are a lot of derelict buildings, many of which have been boarded up and fenced off as they contain asbestos, a legacy of when they were built during the war. All of the buildings served important roles in supporting the radio transmitters and each one was given a designated number which can still be seen painted on the brickwork today. Some of them have also been given unofficial names as well such as the rotunda and the cinema. 

The majority of these buildings are located within the inner compound set around the road circuit in close proximity to the bunker. There is one very small building though that is set apart form the rest standing all alone in the outer compound half way between the inner and outer fences. An overgrown concrete path leads directly to it from an old rusted up gate adjacent to the bunker. Designated Building 35, however on the old maps it is actually named as The Pigsty and is still known by that name today.

I know very little about what Building 35 was used for but I do know for certain that it was never a home for pigs. In it's hey day the pigsty was surrounded by several large aerial masts which give a clue as to what purpose it served. I understand that it was used either as a switching system enabling different transmitters to be connected to, or disconnected from the circuit for maintenance purposes, or as an antenna tuning station.

You can't enter the pigsty these days because the locks have seized up with age, however it is possible to look inside through the missing window panes and broken door slats. Inside you can see what appear to be large radio valves and other paraphernalia from the golden age of wireless telegraphy.I love the history and the feeling of abandonment in this place and also the wonderful colours and textures caused by years of exposure to the seasons. Hopefully my photographs convey this scene of dereliction accurately.